Dense fog and low visibility conditions disrupted air travel at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Tuesday, leading to the cancellation of at least 10 flights and delays to over 270 others, officials said, as the national capital also grappled with severe air pollution and hazardous weather conditions.
An official said that six arriving flights and four departing flights were cancelled for the day.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, more than 270 flights were delayed, with the average departure delay standing at 29 minutes.
Earlier in the day, Delhi’s IGI Airport issued a passenger advisory amid dense fog and low visibility in the region, cautioning travellers about possible flight delays and disruptions.
Visibility on some runways dropped to as low as 100 metres during the early morning hours. The airport, which handles around 1,300 flight movements daily, said operations were impacted due to weather conditions.
Delhi airport operator DIAL issued a Passenger Advisory on X at 1 pm, stating, “Flight operations are running smooth at Delhi Airport. However, some flight departures for certain destinations may be impacted. For the latest flight schedules, please contact your airline or visit the official airport website. We wish all travelers a safe and pleasant journey.”
Earlier, in a post at 11.10 am, DIAL said, “Visibility at the airport is improving; however, flight departures for certain destinations may experience delay.”
GMR-owned Delhi Airport also said, “Flight operations are currently conducted under CAT II conditions due to dense fog, which may result in delays and cancellations. For the latest flight status, kindly contact your respective airlines.”
Dense fog has affected Delhi and adjoining areas for several days, causing widespread disruptions to road, rail and flight services, resulting in repeated cancellations and delays across transport networks.
Airlines, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, issued travel advisories warning passengers of potential disruptions.
IndiGo, in its advisory, said, “Pragyaraj, Ayodhya and Pantnagar continue to remain wrapped in chilly winter air and lingering fog this morning. The fluctuating visibility has led to changes in flight schedules, and operations may be slower than usual as conditions evolve.”
The airline added that once the weather stabilises, operations will gradually return to normal.
SpiceJet warned that departures and arrivals could be impacted at airports including Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Darbhanga, Patna and Bagdogra due to bad weather and poor visibility.
In another advisory, the airline flagged possible disruptions in Delhi, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Gorakhpur and Patna.
IndiGo also cancelled more than 20 flights on Tuesday without citing any reason, including multiple departures and arrivals across domestic routes, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Delhiites woke up to choking air as thick fog and haze blanketed the city, pushing air quality into the severe category. At 9 am, the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 415, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Out of 40 monitoring stations, 27 reported AQI levels above 400, while five stations slipped into the ‘severe plus’ category, with Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 470.
On the weather front, dense fog led to a sharp drop in visibility, with Palam recording just 50 metres visibility at 8 am, while Safdarjung reported 100 metres. Visibility improved slightly by 8.30 am, though fog conditions persisted. The India Meteorological Department said Delhi’s minimum temperature settled at 8.8 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is expected to hover around 23 degrees Celsius, with dense fog likely to continue during the day.